Rotor for railway coupler



Oct. 2, 1962 E. FURNISS 3,056,511

ROTOR FOR RAILWAY COUPLER Filed July 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I mMme/was,

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ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1962 L. E. FI JRN|SS 1 ROTOR FOR RAILWAY COUPLER FiledJuly 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,056,511ROTOR FOR RAILWAY COUPLER Loree Elwyn Furniss, Groveport, Ohio, assignorto The Buckeye Steel Qastings Company, Columbus, Ohio Filed July 2,1959, Ser. No. 824,563 3 Claims. (Cl. 213-133) The present inventionrelates to the rotor element for a railway coupler of the knuckle typewhich forms a part of the mechanism for releasing the anticreep andlifting the lock and the invention more specifically pertains tostructural characteristics of the outer end portion of the rotor whichreceives the hook shaped inner end portion of a coupler operating rod.

The interlocking type coupler has provided important safety features inthe operation of railway vehicles and a desired attribute of suchcouplers is that they remain in coupled relationship in cases ofaccidents. It has been found that outward movement of a coupler withrespect to the body structure of a railway vehicle as a consequence of astructural failure causes the present type of rotor employed in the typeF coupler to be turned in a direction of rotation to free the anticreepmechanism and to lift the lock sufficiently for the knuckle to swing toan open position. Such unintentional unlocking of the coupler rendersthe safety features of interlocking type couplers ineffective and it ispossible for the unlocked coupler to fall to the roadbed. The outer endof the coupler operating rod is journalled for rotation on the railwayvehicle body and the hook shaped inner end portion in its engagementwith the eye of present standard type rotor develops torque on the rotorduring outward movement of the coupler with respect to the railwayvehicle body to provide an undesired lifting of the lock which permitsthe couplers to be parted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide structural featuresat the outer end of the rotor for connection with the operating rodwhereby the undesired unlocking of the coupler is avoided during outwardmovement of the coupler with respect to the vehicle body and to providea rotor which may be readily cast without the use of cores in formingthe eyelet portion of the rotor.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated andbecome apparent particularly to those skilled in the railway coupler artas the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken with the accompanying drawingswherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotor for the lock operating mechanismof a railway coupler having an eyelet portion embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the rotor showing the cooperation of thehook shaped inner end portion of the coupler operating rod with therotor at the initiation of an intended lock lifting operation.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the outer end or eyelet portion of therotor with the coupler operating rod in the position shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the rotor showing the position of thecoupler operating rod in relation to the eyelet portion after thecoupler has moved outwardly with respect to a railway vehicle body.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the eyelet portion of the rotor with thecoupler operating rod in the position shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the rotor showing the position of thecoupler operating rod in relation to the eyelet portion after thecoupler has moved outwardly with "ice respect to the vehicle body beyondthe position shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the eyelet portion of the rotor with thecoupler operating rod in the position shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an end view of the rotor in the rotated position it assumesafter the coupler has been unlocked, the knuckle fully opened, and therotor has turned clockwise until the lock is supported on the tail ofthe knuckle and with the coupler operating rod in the inactive positionit assumes when the handle is against the stop on its support bracket.

FIG. 10 is an end view of the rotor in the inactive positionillustrating the coupler operating rod in the inactive position.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the eyelet portion showing the free anglingpositions of the rotor relative to the coupler operating rod.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 1.

The invention pertains to the structural characteristics of the outerend portion of the rotor element for the lock operating mechanism of arailway coupler. The shaft portion 14 is provided with a lug 15projecting therefrom and the lug is provided with flat opposite faces 16and 17. The shaft portion 14 and the structure of the lug .15 are ofconventional construction and the rotor while being particularly adaptedfor the type F coupler may be used in other couplers. The structuralcharacteristics of the outer end or eyelet portion 18 (FIG. 1) of therotor provides new results in its cooperation with the hook shaped innerend portion of a conventional coupler operating rod 19. The geometricalaxis of the shaft portion 14 is indicated at 20 and it is this axisabout which the element rotates in operating the lock.

The rotor is shown in the inactive position in FIG. 10 and in thisposition substantially all parts making up the eyelet portion aredisposed below the axis 20 of rotation of the rotor. The eyelet portionincludes an arm 21 which is disposed substantially at right angles tothe axis of the shaft portion 14 and extends forwardly therefrom. Thearm 21 is formed integral with the shaft portion 14 and has an uppersurface 22 which is substantially straight and disposed in a plane whichis tangential to the periphery of the shaft portion 14. The undersurface23 of the arm 21 in the area forwardly of the shaft portion 14 issubstantially straight but the surfaces 22 and 23 converge towards eachother in proceeding forwardly.

The eyelet portion 18 of the rotor includes a front element 26 formedintegral with the forward end of the arm 21 and extending outwardlytherefrom in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the shaftportion 14. The front element 26 has a rear surface 27 which is convexviewed in vertical section as shown in FIG. 2. The eyelet portionincludes a rear element 28 which is formed integral with the outer endof the shaft portion 14 and extends outwardly therefrom. The rearelement 28 has substantially all portions thereof located below andrearwardly of the geometrical axis 20 of the shaft portion. The rearelement 28 in generadl extends outwardly in a direction generallyparallel with the axis of the shaft portion 14. The rear element 28 hasa convex surface 29 viewed in vertical section as shown in FIG. 2 andthe element 28 is generally cylindrical in section in the mid portionthereof.

The outer ends of the front element 26 and the rear element 28 arejoined by a side member 31 which is in general substantially parallel tothe arm 21. The side member 31 has structural characteristics andsurfaces thereon which provide improved results in cooperation with thehook shaped inner end portion of the coupler operating rod 19. The sidemember 31 is formed integral with the outer ends of the front element 26and the rear element 28.

The side member 31 has a flat upper surface 32 and this surface providesa bearing area for the portion 42 of the coupler operating rod 19adjacent the hook shaped inner end as shown in FIG. 10. Rearwardly ofthe flat surface 32 the side member carries an integral hump 33 havingan upper surface 34 which is substantially fiat and while beingsubstantially parallel with the surface 32 lies in a plane above thesurface 32. A shoulder 36 carried by the side member 31 is formedbetween the surfaces 32 and 34. The forward face of the shoulder 36 isconvex shaped in plan as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.

The side member 31 forwardly of the geometrical axis 20 has an outerface 38 which may be fiat and arranged in a plane substantially at rightangles to the axis of the shaft portion 14. The undersurface of theforward portion of the side member 31 has a straight surface 39 whichlies in a plane substantially at right angles to the side face 38. Thesurface 39 diverges from the surface 32 in pro ceeding forwardly of theside member 31. In the inactive position of the rotor the surface 39slopes downwardly in proceeding forwardly. The inner surface of the sidemember 31 particularly in the portions which join the front element 26and the rear element 28 are of arcuate formation viewed in plan andmerge with corresponding surfaces of the front element 26 and the rearelement 28. An elongated opening is provided in the structure whichforms the outer end or eyelet portion 18 for receiving the hook shapedinner end portion of the coupler operating rod.

The inactive portion of the rotor and the coupler operating rod 19 isshown in FIG. and it will be observed that there is clearance betweenthe lower free end 41 of the hook shaped end of the coupler operatingrod 19 and the inclined surface 39. In the inactive position of therotor and the coupler operating rod there may be an angular displacementof the axis of the shaft portion 14 of the rotor with respect to theaxis of the coupler operating rod 19 by as much as eighteen degrees ineither direction as depicted in FIG. 11 without development of anyturning movement of the rotor about the axis 20. This free swiveling issufficient for practically all operating conditions.

In carrying out an intended unlocking of the coupler and when the handlecarried by the outer end of the coupler operating rod 19 is raisedcounter-clockwise rotation is imparted to the rod and the lower free endportion 41 of the rod moves from the position shown in FIG. 10 to theposition shown in FIG. 3. The portion 41 of the rod engages the inclinedundersurface 39 of the side member 31 and the upper portion 42 of thehook shaped end which is supported on the surface- 32 of the side member31 contacts the shoulder 36. A force F and a force F1 will be developedon the hook shaped end portion of the coupler operating rod and theseforces will be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction as will beappreciated from a consideration of FIG. 3. The force F acts at rightangles to the inclined surface 39 and the force F1 acts parallel to theforce F but in the opposite direction at a point in the pocket betweenthe shoulder 36 and the surface 32 where the interengaging surfaces areperpendicular to the line of force F1. Any movement of the hook shapedend of the coupler operating rod with respect to the eyelet portion ofthe rotor from this position of static equilibrium will cause thedirection of the force F1 to be changed. This changes the magnitude ofthe horizontal and vertical components of the force Fl thereby producinginstability where the lower portion 41 of the hook shaped end engagesthe surface 39. Thus the inner end portion of the coupler operating rod19 will remain in contact with the shoulder 36 and as thecounter-clockwise rotation of the coupler operating rod is continued therotor will be turned to operate the release of the anticreep mechanismto lift the lock and throw the knuckle to an open position.

In the event of a structural failure in the draft rigging so that thecoupler moves outwardly with respect to the vehicle body beyond thelimit permitted by the resilient draft gear the angular disposition ofthe rotor with respect to the coupler operating rod will assume aposition somewhat as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Two forces F2 and F3 willbe developed on the inner end portion of the coupler operating rod 19where it engages the rotor eyelet. The force F3 is normal to theengagement of the coupler operating rod with the surface 27 of theforward element 26 and this force will be in a substantially horizontaldirection. The force F2 will be normal to the engagement of the shoulder36 and the coupler operating rod as shown in FIG. 5 but the force F2 isapplied in an upward direction against the portion 42 of the coupleroperating rod. As the forces F2 and F3 increase the vertical componentof the force F2 will increase until it overcomes the friction and theweight of the inner end portion of the coupler operating rod. Theportion 42 of the coupler operating rod will then be raised to overliethe surface 34 and the coupler operating rod is free for swiveling withrespect to the rotor as it is supported on the surface 34. The coupleroperating rod is thus supported on the rear element 28 and continuedoutward movement of the coupler head and the rotor with respect to thevehicle body is possible without developing any prying forces or torquebetween the coupler operating rod and the rotor.

A continuation of the pull-out of the coupler will develop a conditionas shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein the operating rod 19 assumes aposition with its axis at approximately ninety degrees with respect tothe axis of the shaft portion 14 but such position of the parts does notdevelop any counter-clockwise torque on the rotor. The hook-shaped endwill pull rearwardly on the rear element 28 of the eyelet portion toprovide a force F4. The point of contact of the coupler operating rodwith the rear element 28 is below the geometrical axis or center 2%) ofthe shaft portion 14. Since the only movement of the rotor possible isrotation of the shaft portion 14- with respect to the coupler head andsince the rotor is restricted from moving clockwise from the inactiveposition by the coupler parts (not shown) the forces F4 and F6 as shownin FIG. 7 create a resulting clockwise moment which holds the lockoperating mechanism in the locked position.

The eyelet portion of the rotor provides further improvements inintended operation of the lock actuating elements of a coupler. When thecoupler is unlocked and the knuckle is in the fully open position therotor when released will rotate in a clockwise direction until the partscome to rest with the lock supported on the tail of the knuckle. Therotor then assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 9. The hook shapedend of the coupler operating rod then assumes the inactive positionshown with the handle at the outer end in engagement with its supportingbracket stop. Under these operating conditions the weight W of the innerend of the coupler operating rod is applied to the rotor a distance Dfrom the center of rotation. A moment arm WD is thus provided which actsto help rotate the rotor and facilitate the dropping of the lock intothe locked position when the knuckle is closed.

A rotor provided with an eyelet portion 18 in addition to avoidingundesired freeing of the anticreep and lifting of the lock on anaccidental pull-out of the coupler also avoids malfunctioning when usedin a coupler having a long travel draft gear. The lower portion 41 ofthe hook shaped inner end of the coupler operating rod having clearancewith the inclined surface 39 as shown in FIG. 10 provides an arrangementwherein the operating rod is free to swivel approximately eighteendegrees in either direction as shown in FIG. 11. Such free swivelingmovement of the coupler operating rod with respect to the shaft portion14 of the rotor avoids any tendency of the lock operating mechanism tobe actuated as a consequence of outward movement of the coupler withrespect to the vehicle body as permitted by long travel resilient draftgears. The rotor may be readily cast in foundry operations without thenecessity of providing cores and the improved rotor provides the furtheradvantage of a reduction in the weight of the rotor.

While the invention has been described with regard to a rotor for a typeF coupler it will be appreciated that this element of the lock operatingmechanism may be employed in other couplers and that changes may be madein the structural characteristics of the rotor. Such modifications andothers may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock operating mechanism for a railway coupler, a rotor having ashaft portion supportable on a coupler for rotation about the axis ofthe shaft portion from an inactive position to a position for unlockingthe coupler, an eyelet portion carried by the outer end of said shaftportion, said eyelet portion including a side member disposed generallytransversely of the shaft portion and spaced from the outer end thereof,an upwardly facing substantially flat surface on said side memberdisposed below and forwardly of said axis in the inactive position ofthe rotor, a second upwardly facing surface on said side memberrearwardly of and positioned above the first surface and substantiallyat the level of said axis in the inactive position of the rotor, agenerally vertical shoulder defining the rear end of said first upwardlyfacing surface and the forward end of said second upwardly facingsurface with the upper end of said shoulder being substantially inalignment with the axis of said shaft portion, a downwardly facingsurface on the side member in the inactive position of the rotordiverging from said first surface in proceeding forwardly, a coupleroperating rod overlying said first surface and having a hook-shaped partextending through the eyelet portion with the end portion of the rodunderlying said downwardly facing surface, said rod engageable with saidshoulder and said end portion engageable with said downwardly facingsurface during rotation of the rod about its longitudinal axis to turnthe rotor about its axis from the inactive position towards the couplerunlocking position, a second downwardly facing surface on said sidemember rearwardly of the first downwardly facing surface in the inactiveposition of the rotor spaced from the second upwardly facing surfaceless than the space provided between the rod and the end portionthereof, and said eyelet portion including a rear element having aforwardly facing surface positioned below said axis in the inactiveposition of the rotor engageable by the hookshaped part of said rod uponswinging movement of the rod relative to the rotor about a generallyvertical axis.

2. In a lock operating mechanism for a railway coupler according toclaim 1 wherein the shoulder is concave shaped viewed in side elevation.

3. In a lock operating mechanism for a railway coupler according toclaim 1 wherein the forwardly facing surface on the rear element isconvex shaped viewed in side elevation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,217,722 Bazeley Oct. 15, 1940 2,498,958 Kinne Feb. 28, 1950 2,498,959Kinne Feb. 28, 1950 2,585,889 Wolfe Feb. 12, 1952 2,709,007 Metzger May24, 1955

